Tag Archives: arrest record

The bills proposed in both the Senate and the Assembly for the State legislature in Wisconsin to prohibit employers from asking about conviction records before selecting a person for interview did not make it to the floor for vote this 2009 legislative session. The bills failed due mostly to timing. Wisconsin law still prohibits discrimination in employment based on both arrest records and conviction records, but the law does not prohibit an employer from requiring disclosure of conviction records in an employment application.

What if you have a conviction or arrest record and an employer in Wisconsin does not hire you because of it? Well, you have rights. In Wisconsin, employers may not discrimination against an employee or applicant because of an arrest or conviction record. The exception is when the conviction substantially relates to the job. Also, if an employer intends to pull a background check on an employee or applicant, it must give notice, disclosure, to the person that it intends to do so and also get written permission from the employee or applicant to do so. Failure to either disclose or get written permission is a violation of Federal law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If a background report, even though accurate, is the basis for termination, not getting hired or other adverse employment action, the employer must abide by other notice and disclosure requirements. Most importantly, the employer must give advance notice of the termination, non-hire or other adverse action that it is going to take the action and that a report was used as part of its decision. The advance notice is so the employee or applicant can get a copy of the report, review and correct it if necessary. An employer must give notice of certain rights under the Federal law, in writing, when advising the employee or applicant of the adverse action. Failing to perform any of these obligations may give rise to a claim for damages against the employer or the agency that provided the employer a background report. Damages can include lost income, emotional distress or, if actual damages do not exist, statutory damages as determiend by a judge. The law also provides for the potential recovery of attorney’s fees and the cost of litigation.